Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 April 2026

Letter from Karim Fatehi OBE, Chief Executive, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, regarding ATA carnets for cultural touring, 27 March 2026

From: Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Inquiry: State of Play: Performing arts touring in the EU

Summary

Karim Fatehi, Chief Executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), responds to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee's inquiry into ATA carnets for cultural touring. LCCI, the UK's National Guaranteeing Organisation and one of 17 issuers, explains carnet cost structure (issuing and security fees), compares UK costs to EU practice, outlines cost-reduction options, and details expected benefits of the forthcoming digital carnet system.

Key findings

ATA Carnet costs comprise issuing fees (£225–£370 depending on membership) and security fees (£56–£1,963.92 for typical examples). LCCI offers ~40% discount on issuing fees for members of musician groups (MU/FAC/ISM); some EU countries subsidise issuing fees via public chambers, the UK does not.
UK carnet costs are higher than some EU Member States because the UK does not apply equivalent national subsidies to issuing bodies; revenue supports frontline operations and national/international governance of the ATA Carnet system.
Cost-reduction options include applying via partner organisations offering member discounts, selecting refundable cash deposits as security, grouping multiple musicians under one carnet, or using freight forwarders. UK government could establish a guarantee/insurance policy covering musician carnets.
Digital carnets will reduce administrative burden and costs by eliminating physical document assembly, couriering, and photocopying; offering guided digital workflows; enabling real-time tracking; and reducing border processing delays. System rolls out in phases; UK, EU, Norway, and Switzerland will accept digital carnets initially.
Under any temporary import procedure, a replacement instrument requires a new carnet; this requirement is not unique to digital systems or ATA Carnets specifically.

Tone

Factual

Topics

cultural-touringcustoms-procedurestrade-documentationmusic-sectordigital-transformation

Key actors

Karim Fatehi OBE, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Musicians' Union (MU), FAC, ISM

Notable line

“The UK does not currently apply an equivalent national subsidy. 3) What options are available to issuing bodies to reduce their carnet costs for cultural tours?”

Key Quotes

“At LCCI, we are the UK's National Guaranteeing Organisation and one of the UK's 17 issuers of ATA Carnets.”
— Karim Fatehi OBE · establishing LCCI's role in the carnet system

“… some countries do subsidise the cost of the issuing fee via publicly run chambers of commerce, who are the main issuing bodies. The UK does not currently apply an equivalent national subsidy.”
— Karim Fatehi OBE · explaining why UK carnet costs are higher than EU comparators

“… digital carnets remove the need to assemble, carry, photocopy, replace or courier physical documents.”
— Karim Fatehi OBE · describing operational benefits of digital carnet system

“Under any temporary import procedure, a replacement item is treated as a different good, so it requires a new temporary import procedure.”
— Karim Fatehi OBE · clarifying that replacement carnet requirements are not unique to digital systems

“LCCI is willing to engage with wider cultural and musical groups to discuss how a discount could benefit their members.”
— Karim Fatehi OBE · offering to expand discount arrangements with broader stakeholder groups

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗